(Above: Palesa Kadi - image
by Mark Wessels)
Earlier this month, Palesa Kadi began her first days as the National
Arts Festival's new CEO, meeting the NAF’s partners and stakeholders and
preparing for her move to her new home in Makhanda. She brings a deep love of
the Eastern Cape to her role, including family ties to the region, and says her
early days are about listening and getting to know "this very unique and
special institution."
Board Chairperson, Professor Siphiwo Mahala, says: "Palesa's appointment marks an exciting new chapter for the National Arts Festival. We’re confident in her leadership and excited about the direction she will take the Festival in."
Her path to the NAF has, in a sense, brought her full circle. Palesa's career in the arts began nearly two decades ago as Head of Arts and Culture for the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, work that first rooted her in the region she returns to. From there, she moved through senior roles at the Film and Publication Board, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa and, most recently, the National Heritage Council, building a reputation for steady, principled governance along the way. She's also chaired the board of the Mandela Bay Theatre Complex, served on the board of the National Council of Libraries and Information Services and Cricket South Africa and is currently an SABC board member.
Her appointment also lands during Women's Month, something she notes is "particularly meaningful": "Women have always been central to cultural production and community life, and I'm committed to ensuring that women's voices, creativity and leadership continue to shape the Festival's direction."
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